Using a Laptop keyboard for PC...?

So does anyone know if its possible to connect a keyboard from a laptop to a PC? I already know of the hardships involved in using an LCD from a Laptop on a PC, but is it as hard and expensive to connect a keyboard?

Reason i'm asking is because I want to attatch the keyboard, (which will be relativly light), to the side of the monitor with an 'arm'. Kind of like those desk lamps that can move in any direction you pull them in. That way when I need it-I can pull it around in-front of the screen and push it back when i'm done.

This isn't for my main rig but it sure would help out with my folders. I do realize that I could use a switch, but....thats too easy and my idea will look cooler. lol!

Anyone ever try this......?

i think that it might be easy first what i think is u have to take the key board and figure out which pin needs to be pluged in were and then solder them on and plug it in thats what i think tho (solder as in solder the key board to the ps2 conector for pc)

not worth the trouble unless it easy and free...they sell ity bity keyboards now and or you could get one of those rubber folding ones...its under a pound...check ebay

I like the feel of those laptop keyboards, and i REALLY like the ones that light up the letters so you can see them at night.

hate to say it but mac leptops have the best keyboards, becasue only the letters light up in the dark and it has a light sensor so that it is al lautomatic. i should get ahold of one of those and rip out the keyboard

this would be about as hard as using the lcd, because keyboards are just switch matrixes and you would need to get the controller chip and support circuitry out of the laptop to be able to wire it to a pc. sorry to ruin your idea

ok, but if I used the controller that came with the laptop, that would work right?
Anyone know how I would go about connecting the controller to my PC?

I'm pretty sure it's soldered on to the laptop's motherboard.

moorcito said:

I'm pretty sure it's soldered on to the laptop's motherboard.

Click to expand...

That's more than likely.... Laptop manufacturers usually try to keep the extra circuit boards down to a minimum to save space...

With that bieng said. to remove the controller would require the eyesight of a hawk and the dexterity of an IC insertion machine! and the same would be said for wiring it to a PC.

conlcution, it is not possible.

You might be able to use the controller chip from another keyboard, i think most of them use a chip compatible with the Intel 8254 (i´m not really sure about that number, but it sounds familiar). But you still have to really want that keyboard, it´s much cheaper to buy a small keybaord, and it implies a hell of a lot less work.

I don't think they use a standard controller for this reason. most normal keyboards ahve a seperate num pab, in some laptop keyboards to use the numpad you need to hold down a special button like on Dells the num pad is comprised of 9 other keys with tertiary functions.

Well... Does this count???

moorcito said:

I'm pretty sure it's soldered on to the laptop's motherboard.

Click to expand...

Talking of that...

We got a new Dell Latitude E6430 the other day, and it had a problem with the "G" key (the key being wonky) and we got a replacement keyboard, but got to keep the old one.
Now I know a lot of people say it is useless and why not go and buy a keyboard, but that's not the point - I want to see what I can do! Who knows, it might help to get a Techy job...?

Anyways, i have this keyboard, and it has some sort of controller on the back. It has a 20 pin ribbon from the keyboard to the board on the back, with a few chips (microchips) and another 3 pin ribbon cable going from the board to what i suspect to be the back lighting. It has a slot for a cable to come out and connect to the laptop, but that cable is being used with the current non 'broken' keyboard.

What I need to know -
What are the pin connectors called?
Is that the backlighting?
*Bonus* Could i manage to use the backlighting???
Link or name for the connection to the laptop as I would probaly need one? It apears to be a 10 pin connecter (10 pins).

Could I use this as a desktop USB or Bluetooth keyboard?
- Does this board act as the board I need, and i could just convert the 10 pin connector to USB (again, HELP?) or use the board mentioned below or similar?
- I have come accross this board (UK) but it claims it is made for HDD Recovery, as the other guy said up there -
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/1410...ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108

Pics-
Sory for the compressed quality, the site would only let me upload files of a certain size. Please say if you want more detailed images.




So what do you guys think? No brainier? I think it can be done, but we need to find a way, and does the fact that this keyboard have a controller on the back help?

11 year old thread. Nothings changed since then, you need the motherboard controller, a reliable pin out, and ridiculous solder equipment.

Better, cheaper, more practical options exist....